An additional 367,380 doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines purchased by the government arrived Tuesday night.
The new batch of vaccines was aboard Hong Kong Air flight LD456, which landed at 9:05 p.m. at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.
This is part of a total of 1,553,930 doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines purchased by the government. One million one hundred eighty-seven thousand five hundred fifty doses of the vaccine first arrived Monday night.
According to National Task Forces Against COVID-19 special medical adviser Dr. Ted Herbosa, up to 205 million vaccine doses have arrived in the Philippines.
“To date, we have landed already 205 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. We have landed over 59 million (Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines), 39 million procured by the government and another 20 million donated to us,” he said.
Herbosa was also proud of the current state of the government’s vaccination program.
“We have already vaccinated many people, 48 million fully vaccinated, about 43% of our target population, and a remainder of about 50 plus million awaiting their second dose. We are doing very well, we are preparing for our booster doses and second doses for the arrival of Omicron,” he said.
New batch of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines purchased by gov’t arrive
It is said that the vaccination of young people can also be started next year.
“We procured 15 million doses of Pfizer for children which will arrive in January and February so hopefully we will be able to start vaccination the 5 to 11 years old, but in the meantime, we’re catching up and trying to hurry up the vaccinations to increase the full vaccinated number in the Philippines so that we can be ready for the arrival of Omicron variant,” said Herbosa.
The Food and Drug Administration has already issued emergency use authorization (EUA) to Pfizer’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine for ages 5 to 11 years.
According to FDA Director-General Eric Domingo, it takes into account clinical trials and efficacy rates of the vaccine in children abroad.
“Mataas din po ang kanyang efficacy rate, above 90% sa mga batang 5 to 11 years old. At the same time, ‘yung nakitang adverse events sa clinical trials ay very mild lang po. Katulad lang ng ibang bakuna na natatanggap ng mga bata – sinat, pananakit sa area ng injection, pero wala pong nakitang any unusual or important safety signals para hindi natin ibigay itong EUA,” said Domingo.
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